


It Began On A Sunday

by InsidiousWaywardGirl



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Fluff, M/M, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29031717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsidiousWaywardGirl/pseuds/InsidiousWaywardGirl
Summary: It all began on a Sunday.Though the huge church looked like a broken down wreck to any casual observer from the outside, anybody who possessed true sight could see the towering gothic spires and large arched windows.Inside, the usually gloomy, empty corridors were filled with a dim, natural light. The halls echoed with the sounds of laughter and chatter.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood
Kudos: 25





	It Began On A Sunday

It all began on a Sunday. The air was filled with the sounds of honking horns and screeching brakes, as was the norm for New York. Waves of heat rose off the pavements as pedestrians went about their way, shopping and running last minute errands. The sun was just beginning to dip on the horizon. Highlighting the buildings in shades of red and orange.  
Tourists were wandering around like drugged sheep, cameras slung around their necks, visiting the various monuments and museums around the city. Everything smelled like backfired engines and fast food.  
The church cat was lazing on the stoop of the Institute, soaking up the last dregs of the summer sunlight. His little grey legs stretched out in front of him in contentment. 

Though the huge church looked like a broken down wreck to any casual observer from the outside, anybody who possessed true sight could see the towering gothic spires and large arched windows.  
Inside, the usually gloomy, empty corridors were filled with a dim, natural light. The halls echoed with the sounds of laughter and chatter.  
Clary and Jace sat together in the study, curled up on a loveseat in the corner with their heads together, their attention half divided between each other, and Tessa and Jem, who sat across from them on a couch, telling stories of their lost friend and love, Will Herondale.  
Magnus, as glittery and disco ball-esque as ever, was unusually somber, toying with Alec’s hair as he listened. His cat eyes were dark and unreadable, filled with sorrow and nostalgia.  
Alec was sitting on the floor, leaning back with his back parallel to Magnus’s legs. Eyes intent and curious. Long, graceful limbs folded up carefully so they didn’t bang into anything.  
Isabelle was squished between Alec and Simon, having been physically restrained from joining Mayrse in the kitchen—they didn’t need to add food poisoning to the agenda for the day. Her hair was elaborately braided and her clothes, as tasteful as ever.  
Simon was toying with Isabelle’s hand as he listened, still as enamoured and in love with her as ever. 

“Clockwork creatures?” Clary asked, her tone just short of incredulous.  
Jem laughed quietly. When he looked down his eyelashes fanned out across his cheekbones. “I know it sounds ridiculous. But I swear it’s true.”  
Jace reclined further in their chair, sliding his hand behind Clary’s shoulders. She leaned into him slightly, relishing the comfort. “I want to say that you're absolutely nuts, but unfortunately I can’t.”  
Simon snorted and muttered under his breath, “‘ain't that the truth.”  
“It wasn’t easy,” Tessa chimed in, “unfortunately, nothing we ever do is.” She took a breath in.  
“Before I even met Will and Jem, Mortmain had me.” She grimaced, her beautiful features scrunching up, in distaste or horror, Clary couldn’t tell. Jem reached out to squeeze her hand and Clary could see her return the pressure gratefully. “He kept me, tried to force me to, to use my powers for his own personal gain. I escaped. Actually, Will saved me.”  
Jem snapped his fingers, “If I recall correctly, one of the first things he did was ask if he looked like Prince Charming.”  
“That’s right.” Tessa said, and the two shared a fond yet long-suffering look.  
“We three had the strangest adventures.” Jem said.  
Magnus rolled his eyes. You’re telling me!”  
Clary sometimes forgot that he had known Will, Tessa and Jem back in the eighteen hundreds. “There was that one time,” Magnus conunued, exasperation and humour clear in his voice, “That you got Benedict Lightwood turned into a big great worm.”  
“That wasn’t our fault!” Jem protested and Tessa dissolved into helpless fits of laughter.  
“This I have to hear.” Jace said, leaning forward to hear better.  
“Benedict Lightwood.” Magnus began in an overly dramatic voice.  
“Benedict Lightwood?” Isabelle interrupted, “Wasn’t he our great, great, great grandfather or something?”  
“One more great.” Alec said.  
“That is correct.” Magnus said, sniffing haughtily. “Now hush Alexander, and stop saying his name, it makes me want to break out in hives.”  
He took a second to ensure that nobody else was going to interrupt then continued. “Benedict Lightwood had a rather..ugly habit. He liked to spend his leisure time having uncouth relations with demons.”  
There was silence as everybody tried to figure out what the hell he meant.  
Simon was the first one to groan in disgust. “Are you kidding me?!”  
Jem’s expression was a mix of disgust and regret. The rest of the group caught on just then and Clary felt her stomach lurch.  
Isabelle actually turned a rather nasty shade of green.  
Magnus was enjoying himself way too much in that moment. “And then,” He continued, unaware of Alec, who looked like he was internally debating the merits of throwing himself out the window. “ He contracted demon pox and turned into a giant worm.”  
Jace was basically in tears on the loveseat, his entire weight was on Clary as his shoulders heaved with laughter. “Wait-” He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “You-You’re telling me that Alec’s great-great-great-great grandfather, shacked up with-with a demon and then got an STD?!”  
He collapsed again in silent laughter.  
“That’s disgusting.” Isabelle said, screwing up her nose. “What happened after that?”  
“Well,” Jem took over the story, thank god. “ Will, Gabriel, Gideon, Cecily, Tessa and I all went along to see what had happened, not before he had eaten his son in law, of course. It was quite the spectacle.”  
He turned to Tessa and said, “If I recall correctly, you were wearing a wedding dress.”  
Tessa crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, “Yes, well, I did fine anyway, I think.”  
“Wait.” Jace’s face did something strange. It was like a mix of dawning realisation and terrifying, terrifying glee. “ Did you say demon pox?”  
“No!” Simon began, but it was too late.  
“Demon Pox,” Jace chimed, “Oh Demon Pox. Just how is it acquired? One must go down into the bad part of town until one is very tired. Demon Pox, oh, Demon Pox, I had it all along. No, not the Pox, you foolish blocks, I mean this very song. For I was right and you were wrong!”  
Jem covered his face and Tessa groaned, “God, I remember him singing that.” Tessa said, “I hated that song.”  
“Where did you even hear that?” Jem asked, “I swore I burned nearly all the copies of that god-forsaken book.”  
Jace shrugged, “ I read it in the margins of an old textbook I found in Magnus’s apartment or something, I can’t really remember.”  
“Is dinner nearly ready?” Magnus asked, suddenly. “I’m starving.”  
Isabelle jumped to her feet, “That’s a good question. I’ll go check on the food and see if Mum needs any help.”  
“Oh no.” Jace said, before any damage could be done. “I’ll go, we don’t need to contract salmonella.”  
“What?” Isabelle snapped, but Jace had already disappeared out the door.  
Simon stood too and walked over to turn on his gaming console. He had brought it to the institute a few months ago and, god knew how, had managed to get it working. The thing only ever glitched occasionally.  
He sat back on the floor and picked up his controller, fiddling with the buttons until he found a game he wanted to play.  
“What is that?” Jem asked, leaning forward. Clary had to laugh, the confusion on Jem’s face was priceless.  
“It’s a gaming controller,” Simon held it up for his inspection. “Have you really never seen one before?”  
Jem took it from his hands and fiddled around with the buttons.  
The next half hour was spent trying to teach Jem how to use modern technology. He was particularly interested in what ‘E-mail’ was. It was past six by the time Jace poked his head back into the room, “Dinner’s ready.” He said, his voice muffled by, judging by the food visible in his mouth as he talked, a mouthful of mashed potatoes.  
Simon took his phone back from Jem and was the first one out the door. Clary picked herself up off the couch and followed him, her stomach grumbling like an engine.  
They all seated themselves in the dining room where Maryse had laid out a feast of kingly proportions. There was a roast chicken, it’s skin a perfect golden brown colour. Green beans and mashed potatoes. Gravy and sausages and salad. She had even picked up some pork from the local chinese restaurant for Jace.  
They sat and they ate and they talked companionably, passing dishes around the table and laughing at nothing in particular. Simon and Jace had a contest to see who could eat the most, (the results were unclear but both boys insisted they won,). Church wandered in from God knows where to sit at her feet and meow loudly, demanding food.  
Maryse scolded Isabelle for bringing her weapons to the table and nearly had a fit when Jace knocked over the gravy boat and the brown liquid went spilling all over her crisp white table cloth.  
Magnus and Alec got into an argument over Alec’s wardrobe, something about contrasting colours.  
Clary talked to Tessa while Jem was distracted with Isabelle, trading stories about their Herondales. It was scary how similar the two boys were, even separated by a few hundred years and multiple generations.  
When dessert was brought out, they all grew a little more somber, as if they all realised that the day was coming to a close. 

Afterwards, they all gathered back in the study, Jem took out his violin and Alec helped Jace wheel the piano in and together they began to play a slow sweet tune. Jem’s eyes were closed as he pulled his bow over the strings as if he was blocking out everything else so that the music was all he could hear.  
Jace’s slim, scarred fingers danced over the ivory keys which were worn and scratched from years of love and use.  
Clary just sat and let herself be swept away by the music, ignoring everything else in the room.  
She ignored Isabelle and Alec who were sitting on the couch, laughing over something together.  
Ignored when Simon entered the room from where he had been helping Maryse with the dishes.  
She ignored Tessa and Magnus. Ignored when Magnus reached over to squeeze Tessa’s hand. Tried to pretend she didn’t hear when he whispered, “ It’s not just us. We’re not alone.”  
And Tessa whispered back, “I said that things would work out.” 

They cracked open a few bottles of champagne and shared it around and everybody was full and happy and content. The fire in the hearth crackling happily along like it was laughing.  
“We should do this again.” Clary said. Her brain was beginning to feel a little fuzzy from the alcohol.  
Tessa hummed in agreement. “I think so too. I have enjoyed this evening very much.” She sighed nostalgically, “ It’s been a long time since I just sat and talked with friends.”  
“We should do this again then.” Isabelle suggested. “You know, as a way to take a break from everything.”  
Jace shrugged, “I’ll have to check my calendar, there are many people who would love to spend an afternoon with me.”  
Alec rolled his eyes, “Let’s do it then, the first Sunday of every month.”  
When the clock neared midnight, they began to grow tired.  
Simon had had a few too many glasses of champagne so Isabelle lugged him up the stairs to their bedroom. His laughter echoed down the stairs the whole way along with Isabelle’s gentle chastising.  
Magnus and Alec stood up to leave for their apartment. They were seen off at the door and disappeared into the night, Magnus’s cashmere scarf, as blue as the sky in the daytime, wrapped tightly around Alec’s neck.  
Clary drew up a portal and Tessa and Jem said their farewells, hugging Clary and Jace and thanking Maryse for being such an obliging host. They departed with promises to return next month and vanished into the portal, hand in hand. What Clary didn’t hear when they had gone was Jem saying to Tessa, “No more Blackfriars Bridge.” and Tessa nodding and replying, “It’s time we had a new tradition.” 

When everyone had gone to bed and the institute was silent and dark, empty doorways gaping like open mouths, Jace led Clary up the spiraling steps towards the greenhouse. They sat among the plants and just looked around them, quietly reminiscing about long gone memories.  
Jace took out a bright red apple, began to cut it into clean sections with his knife, and Clary took the slice he offered to her with a smile.  
There were some traditions you should never change.


End file.
